What to Do in Salem, Massachusetts, for Families

Salem, Mass., is only about an hour from Boston by car or ferry, but a visit can make travelers feel as if they’ve been transported back to 1692, when a series of unfortunate events led to many people in colonial Massachusetts being accused of witchcraft. 

Because there are numerous well-known stories about the Salem witch trials (including “The Crucible” play, which most students have been assigned to read at some point), people don’t often realize that the hearings and prosecutions lasted only about a year. While the witch trials are a popular reason to visit Salem — especially around Halloween — the town has many other offerings, as well.

“There is plenty of history for everyone to absorb and lots of fun to balance out the trip,” said Kate Fox, executive director for Destination Salem. “Salem is a great destination for all ages.”

What to Do
I visited Salem with my family, including my sister, an English teacher who has taught “The Crucible”; my sons, who both have read the play; and my nephews, who knew nothing at all about the story. It was because of them that we started our day with Salem Kids Tours, the only tour in Salem specifically designed for children — but it turned out to be a great crash course in Salem history for everyone. 

“As a middle school teacher, I know how to keep kids interested and curious about Salem’s past, so I tell true stories about history with a bit of mystery,” said Alicia Diozzi, owner of Salem Kids Tours. “Past visitors say kids love the tour and could talk about what they learned after the trip was over.”

Diozzi provided the perfect amount of background (plus cool ghost stories) to get us ready for the rest of our visit. She began by explaining that, although today people believe witches can be good or bad, Puritans believed all witches were evil, so being accused of witchcraft was the worst thing that could happen to a person. A fun fact we learned on the tour is that Salem wasn’t a well-known destination until a good witch came to town in 1970 — Samantha Stephens (played by actress Elizabeth Montgomery) from the television show “Bewitched.” That year, the popular sitcom filmed a series of episodes on location in the town and transformed Salem into a tourist hot spot. 

After our tour, we were definitely prepared for The Salem Witch Museum, where we got a more detailed education about the witchcraft trials and the events leading up to them, including exhibits about witchcraft through time.

We then checked out Witch Pix, a photo studio where my 9-year-old nephews chose their own witch garb from more than 300 incredible handmade cloaks and hats and posed with “witchy” props such as wands and a cauldron.

“We have three hand-painted backdrops and take photos with a crystal ball and a magical broomstick,” said Hope Hitchcock, owner of Witch Pix. “Then, we process the photos with camera filters such as enhanced color and sepia.”

We ended our day with local operator Sea Shuttle for a 90-minute Salem Sound Tour. We cruised past the picturesque towns of Marblehead and Manchester-by-the-Sea before stopping on the shores of Misery Island, where we found blue beach glass (a rare treasure where we live in Southern California). 

www.salemkidstours.com
www.salemwitchmuseum.com
www.sea-shuttle.com
www.witchpixofsalem.com

Where to Eat
Longboards Restaurant & Bar on Pickering Wharf is a great spot for burgers, sandwiches — including a massive lobster roll called “The Leviathan” — and four kinds of macaroni and cheese. And don’t miss Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, which claims the title of America’s oldest candy company. It’s the home of Salem Gibralters — treats that date back to the 1800s — and it has modern confections, too. 

www.longboardsbar.com
www.oldepeppercandy.com

Where to Stay
The Salem Inn, which is both pet- and family-friendly, offers modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi access and a fitness center while immersing guests in Salem’s history via its 40 rooms and suites in three historic homes.

www.saleminnma.com